SSV: Project STATIC Part 3: Game Over

Chapter 13

"So, that's the long and short of it," Jake sighed, having finished explaining everything to Anders.

"You're either higher than a fucking kite, or…" Anders grumbled, still sitting against the wall and rubbing his temple, "Or, you're telling the truth."

"All cards are on the table now, man," Jake shrugged, nodding at Pam, "She's the one who's running our show this time around. I've got no reason to lie to you."

"You're telling me that my entire life is the fucking brainchild of some pissy girl half my age," Anders scowled, pulling a cigarette out and lighting it to take a drag, "Excuse the fuck out of me for being skeptical. Me, my sister, my time in the service, everything I know is apparently a damn lie. This comes hot on the heels of the fact that my sister, who, according to you, wasn't even real, was murdered. Let's say you're not full of shit, what exactly is the point of it all, kid?"

"The world, or what we're doing?" Jake asked.

"Both," Anders glared up at him.

"The point of the world is to kill the three of us," Jake shrugged, "Ingrid designed this place to be some sort of prison where if we die here, we die in the real world. As for what we're doing, it's about more than just our lives. Ingrid has my best friend, her girlfriend, and she's going to keep her unless we can save her."

"Guns, love, and games, sounds like a shit movie," Anders scoffed, "I never was one for religion, you know? Not a fan of the idea of my choices being out of my control. Now, I'm learning that everything I've ever thought and known is all a figment of some loony little girl's imagination."

"So, what do you intend to do about that fact? Pam's voice cut into the conversation.

"What am I supposed to do?" Anders countered, "If what you two are saying is true, then nothing I do will amount to shit. I'm not a techie, but I know enough to know if I'm just a piece of code, it won't do any good to try to fight. I ought to go find that fucking monster and let her finish me off."

"What if I told you that I could break you free of Ingrid’s code?" Pam asked, surprising both Anders and Jake.

"Pam, what are you talking about?" Jake asked.

"Kinda curious myself, lady," Anders added.

"It may be a long shot, but whatever I did back at the morgue left some sort of imprint on me," Pam answered, "I'm not sure what it is, but I can see bits and pieces of her coding. It's different from the magic of the weave, but it's similar enough that I think I can manipulate it. As we speak, I can see sections of it bending and bowing around us. My guess would be that's the reason why she hasn't sent that thing after us again; she can't see us."

"Now we're talking magic, that's great," Anders scoffed, "Hocus pocus, crazy girl gods, and a fictional reality, am I drunk?"

"She's telling the truth," Jake sighed, "I get it, at least the skepticism about magic and your point about religion. It's never been my bag either, but I've seen what she can do out in the real world. How else can you explain us just appearing here out of nowhere?"

"Blacked out on a bad batch of chrome?" Anders asked, "Wouldn't be the first time, kid."

"Can you be serious for a minute?" Jake asked, annoyed by Anders' attitude, "We have a serious problem here, and I'm starting to feel like we're wasting time."

"Put yourself in my shoes for a damn minute, kid," Anders snapped, getting to his feet, "Your sister bites the big one, you're nearly flatlined by the same monster that did her in, and then you learn that everything you think you know is bullshit! This is all coming from a couple of no-names fresh off the street. I'm sober, hurting, and fucking alone, kid."

"You don't have to be," Pam interjected, "I can take your code out, remove you from her assigned systems, and give you the freedom you thought you once had."

"More bibbidy, bobbidy, bull," Anders rolled his eyes, "Let's say for a second that I believe you. Let's pretend what you're saying isn't totally garbage, yeah? What happens when you three find a way out? What the hell happens to me? What happens to the rest of the city?"

"An algorithm with an existential crisis, this is a first," Jake rubbed his neck, "We don't know, alright?"

"I'm afraid he's telling the truth," Pam frowned, "You could reset, be reunited with your sister, and have no recollection of any of this. Or, Ingrid could pull the plug and erase everything in one fell swoop. The city, and all of its inhabitants, gone in a fraction of a second."

"So, you think I'll help you destroy everything that's here so you can save one girl?" Anders asked, "Hard pass, get bent."

"It's about more than one girl!" Jake argued, "If we don't get out of here, then our entire world could be in trouble. Ingrid might just be a tech nerd, but the people she's working with are dangerous. My city, our world, could be in jeopardy because we are stuck here."

"You're three idiots with no plan, no guns, and barely an idea of where you are," Anders remarked, "If you three are the hope of your world then I'd say it's already fucked."

"It's not always about being prepared," Pam sighed, "It's about being able to fight back and react. If we could have been proactive, maybe things would be better, but that's not the way things panned out this time. We may not be the only hope, but we are the ones who are willing to fight back. I had thought that you were of a similar mind, but perhaps I was mistaken. I didn't realize a soldier gave up so easily."

"What was that?" Anders growled, getting to his feet, "Don't talk to me about giving up, girlie. I survived two tours of duty in the jungles, or at least, I thought I did."

"You question your reality, I understand that," Pam met Anders' harsh glare, "I've been there, but why not take the chance to prove that you're more than a bunch of ones and zeros? We are offering you a chance to break free from the control you hate, and a chance to stick it to your creator. You can either wallow in your sorrow, or you can join us and fight back. Take revenge for everything that was taken from you, and prove that you're more than just a toy in this insane girl's toy box."

Jake watched the exchange as it unfolded. He stood still and once again let Pam do most of the talking. It was just easier at times like this. Pam had shown herself to be more adept at convincing people than either he or Beth. A strong suit that he admired, but one he wasn't sure would work here. This wasn't a person they were dealing with, it was a string of code. He wasn't sure if her talents would translate well here or not, but they were in the deep end of uncharted waters now. Whatever walls were up had started to crumble, and now it was just waiting to see how it all played out.

"I don't wallow," Anders finally said.

"Then prove it!" Pam exclaimed, "Show us that you're more than just the sum of a few lines of numbers. Join us, and let's make this girl pay for what she's done."

"Couple of questions first," Anders sighed, dropping his cigarette and stamping it out, "Kid says this girl is your lover. Why the hell did you let her get captured?"

Jake winced and prepared for Pam to fly off the handle. Real or not, insulting her and Beth was a bad idea. To his surprise, Pam merely sighed and smiled, "Her name is Beth, first of all. She's the light of my life, but she's also incredibly stubborn and ill-tempered. I begged her not to keep going, but she knows what she can handle. She was supposed to be coming home to me when she was taken by the same girl that's been manipulating you."

"There was a time when I tried to keep her on a tight leash to prevent things like this from happening. Alas, all that did was drive her away from me. When you love someone, you have to let them make their mistakes, however stupid and avoidable they may be. I let her go, but I will get her back. If I have to destroy this place to do it, I will. Not an angel, a demon, or some prison will keep me from saving her."

"Heh, sounds like she and Erin would have gotten along," Anders shook his head, "Can't tell you how many times I told Erin something was a bad idea, but she went ahead with it anyways. Didn't matter if I had irrefutable proof, she always knew best. Let's say I agree to join your suicide cause, how exactly do you plan on getting out of here?"

"That's a question I'd like to hear the answer to as well," Jake admitted, still not having come any closer to figuring out how to free them.

"I'm glad you two asked," Pam smirked, pointing to the large glass tower jutting out above the city skyline, "There's a signal coming from that building there. Since I moved us, I have been seeing strange strands in the air. Flicks of something that I can't explain, but they're everywhere. The strings coming from that building seem to flash a different color. Most of what I've seen has been red, green, sometimes orange, but this appears to be silver. It's faint, but I can see it clearer with each passing second. I believe that is meant to be the stronghold within this city that keeps us locked and tethered."

"Brunswick Tower," Anders sighed, earning a shocked look from Jake, "We call it the grinder around here. Mercs have gone in, but they never come out. If they do, they're completely changed."

"Did you say Brunswick?" Jake asked, making sure he heard right.

"Yeah, oldest mega-corp in the city, kid," Anders shrugged.

It couldn't be a coincidence, there was no way. He doubted that Ingrid had chosen that name at random. Combined with where her base was, Jake now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ingrid was in league with the Brunswicks. How desperate was she? More importantly, why were they suddenly everywhere he turned? There was more at play here than he liked to think, and he hoped that Kait was close to some sort of breakthrough in her searching. Then again, he had no way of knowing just how long they'd been stuck in this damn virtual prison. This was insane, but it was also alarming on many levels.

Pam shot him a look that confirmed that it wasn't just him that was concerned. "Name mean something to you two?" Anders asked, looking between them.

"The Brunswicks exist in our world," Pam answered before Jake could reply, "They're trouble, and up until recently, we had thought them dead."

"Great, your world has zombies and corps, that's fucking grand," Anders scoffed.

"Technically, the zombie is a different girl," Ashley's voice cut in as she walked up.

"What are you gonna tell me next?" Anders asked in disbelief, "You got vampires too?"

"Just one," Ashley answered, "At least, I'm all that we're aware of at this time."

"Some world you wanna save," Anders shook his head, "I'd ask if you're pulling my leg, but you three have said all this with a straight fucking face. If this is a joke, I can't wait to hear the punchline."

"I wish it were a joke," Jake sighed, pacing as he tried to work the scenario in his head and wrap his mind around everything he'd learned, "Zombies, witches, vampires, and Corporate Executives that want to bend the world to the damn knee. That's not counting the dozens of other psychos that are running loose in the city, and the programmer that's holding us hostage. I'd say it's a hell of a world, but that feels like an understatement. Ingrid has to be on the take from Emily, but I can't figure out why."

"She was desperate," Pam sighed, "Somehow, she learned who Beth is, and that drove her to a breaking point. The Children of Darkness knew who we all were, and they were directly tied to Emily. It would make sense that somebody approached her, told her who Beth is, and made her an offer to finally get what she's been after. She was coerced by lust and desperation. Unfortunately, that means pissing me off in the process of chasing a misguided pipedream."

"And they found her because I had her digging into Myers," Jake sighed, fully realizing that he was at fault for the mess they were in, "Dammit, they're always one step ahead of us!"

"Yes and no," Pam said, "They're methodical, but they're counting on the three of us alone. I doubt they're watching the other players on the board, and that is where our advantage lies. That and the fact that there is a considerable amount of dumb luck on your side, Jake."

"Eighty percent skill, twenty percent luck," Anders chimed in, "That's what's carried me through more jobs than I can count. Glad to know I'm not the only person banking on luck. So, what exactly is your plan for getting into the Tower?"

"Last time I went through one, it didn't end well for me," Jake admitted, remembering the painful events that led to the myriad of changes throughout his and Beth's lives.

"I doubt that this one is filled with the same level of sociopathic villains as that," Pam pointed out.

"You were in that tower too, you know," Jake reminded her.

"I am aware of that," Pam frowned at him, "I don't need you to remind me of my past, Jake. Besides, it worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"I wouldn't call being trapped in a game working out," Jake replied.

"We aren't trapped, not for much longer," Pam reminded him, "I have a plan, and we'll be going home soon enough. First, I need to know if Anders is in or not."

"Let's hear your plan first," Anders crossed his arms.

Pam nodded and bent down to start drawing in the dirt, "I'll go over this, but try not to get distracted. In magic, there exist different points that can create a signal. Sometimes, in extreme cases, one of these points projects a signal out that can affect an entire region, or area. Think of it as a node, if you will. That tower is the node in question here. My theory is that everything is stemming from this one spot. Ingrid constructed it, and I'm betting that the information on that shard Erin wanted is directly related to that tower. Am I right, Anders?"

"A heist she was planning," Anders sighed, "She wanted to break in, override the security, storm the gates, and make it out with the Intel before leveling the place once and for all."

"Which would conclude the game, and in turn eject us from our prison," Pam surmised, "So, we carry out Erin's plan as best we can given our limited resources. We modify it to suit our needs, and we storm the tower before bringing it down on itself for good. Once that's done, we return to our world, and we deal with Ingrid once and for all."

"That tower is teaming with security operatives, automated defenses, and that thing is still going to be hunting you three," Anders pointed out, "I doubt there's enough ammo in the city to take them down, let alone that freaky psycho chick. You're suggesting suicide."

"I'm proposing the only option that we have at this time," Pam sighed, "If I can manipulate the fabric of this world enough, I can bend the rules to our favor long enough to create an opening for us. I never said it was a smart plan, let alone a good one, but it's the only one we have."

"And you're just going to walk in through the front door?" Anders asked.

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Pam asked.

"I might," Anders replied, "Air ducts would be your safest route, but they're not without risk. Automated defenses could still be triggered, and a blood mist would fucking wreck you unless you're geared up properly. Thing is, if what you're saying is true, then any dealings you make will probably alert this girl to you. That means her pet monster is gonna come running, gunning, and fucking up your day. Nah, best bet is gonna be to hit places hard, loud, and fast. Take what you need, shoot anyone who gets in the way, and hightail it to the job site."

"Hold on," Jake interjected, "You're saying rob people for their stuff?"

"Got a better idea, kid?" Anders asked, "Again, I'm not a techie, but transactions can be tracked. Everything in this city moves to a digital beat, even before I know how far that went, I knew that much. Corps can track everything, and this chick can track the corps. Any reading that they get, she's gonna see. Better to stay on the move and live in chaos until the end. 'Sides, if you three are right, none of these people really exist."

"Sometimes the rules have to be broken in order to win, love," Ashley pointed out.

"I don't like it," Jake sighed.

"We are running out of time and options, Jake," Pam said, turning to Anders, "Are you with us, or are you against us?"

"Depends in if the kid is gonna get cold feet or not," Anders shrugged, "If he doesn't have the stones to throw down, then this op is DOA before it begins."

"Fine," Jake shook his head, hating that it was coming to this, "It's not like this will be the first time I've broken a few rules to enforce the law."

"Hmph, kid sounds like a badge," Anders chuckled, "Alright, Pammy, let's see your magic at work. You think you can do this, then I wanna see it. Shit, if nothing else, I'll see Erin by the time it's all said and done."

"We're doing what we have to in order to survive, Jake," Pam assured her friend before walking over to Anders, "Very well, this may sting quite a bit."

"Pain ain't nothing but a thing, Pammy," Anders shrugged, spreading his arms, "Do what you got to do, and let's get this show on the road."

Jake watched as Pam started to prepare for whatever she was about to do. He wasn't sure if casting was the right term for it, but the pose she took reminded him of just that. He watched as she closed her eyes and waited to see what happened next. The air around them started to feel unusually thick, even with the thick layer of smog that blanketed the city. It was like the temperature was rising around them at a rapid rate. Stranger still was when the sky began to flash and flicker as Jake watched a few strands of odd colors start to flow around Pam. She brought her hands together, much like she'd been instructing him to do before all of this, and stood like she was holding a ball.

"You thought she was exaggerating while teaching you, didn't you?" Ashley asked beside him as they watched.

"What?" Jake scoffed, "No, of course not. I just figured she liked making me look stupid."

"She doesn't have to do that, you do a good enough job on your own, love," Ashley smirked, pointing at Pam's stance, "In all seriousness, the stance she's using is meant for channeling and connecting to the world. It hurts, it's strenuous, but it's how all magic users start their journey."

"Weren't you a warlord, or something like that?" Jake asked.

"A conqueror, a queen, and much more," Ashley corrected him, "In order to better understand those that served me, I studied the arts they practiced. Combat, magic, calligraphy, cartography, diplomacy, and much, much more, my sweet little bird. It was how I was able to remain such an effective leader for so long, and how I was able to remain in control of my nation. To best your enemy, you must understand them, and to understand them, you must study them. I was no mage, nor was I a sharpshooter, but that doesn't mean I don't know what their acts mean."

"You had guns back then?" Jake asked.

"Black powder, but it was rare," Ashley shrugged, "Not so rare that the queen of vampires couldn't get her hands on it, though. You would do well to learn all that you can, Jake. You've already started, but you've only just begun to understand. Look at Pam, what she's doing is unlike anything she's ever attempted. It shouldn't be possible, and I can bet that Ingrid is probably furious that she's doing whatever this is."

The sky continued to flash as Pam continued to regulate her breathing. Jake looked on in fascination as a sphere began to form in Pam's hands. Anders' body began to glow a bright shade of orange as Pam slowly stood up straight. She began rolling her hands around the ball that was appearing. Jake narrowed his eyes as he watched a strand of orange drift off of Anders and into the ball. What was she doing? Did she even know? Based on what they'd been talking about, he doubted she did. Anders' body slowly rose off of the ground and began to hover in the air. The orange light swirling around him began to flash brighter. Rings began to form around his arms, legs, and his torso. They slowly split into two, and they started to orbit around him.

"Ack, what the shit?!" Anders growled through gritted teeth, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Be silent," Pam commanded, her tone much firmer than Jake had heard in a long while, "Let me concentrate, and don't be a baby about this. I told you this might hurt."

"Fucking sounding more like Erin by the damn second," Anders growled, "Fucking fine, hurry this shit up."

"The sooner you stop talking, the sooner this will be over," Pam grunted.

Jake continued to look on in bewilderment as Pam worked her magic. The strands of code, that was all Jake could think to describe it, continued to flow out of Anders and into the ball in her hands. Anders jerked and writhed as more of his essence was pulled out of him piece by piece. The sky grew darker, and a shimmering wave shot out through the air. Jake frowned as he watched the air around the five of them bend inward and distort. He started to wonder if Pam was going to shatter the very reality they were in. The ball in her hands swelled once again, and he watched it closely.

Pam began rolling it around in her hands, and she dipped one hand into the sphere. It shifted colors as she did so from a bright orange to a deep red. He saw her wince in pain, but she didn't pull her hand out and away. She pushed her hand deeper in, and it looked like she was grabbing something. He didn't have a clue what it was, and he still wasn't entirely sure what she was doing. Whatever it was, the ball flashed to a shade of green for a split second before flashing red again. Pam pulled up on whatever she was holding, and the flashing began to turn to a pulsing as she raised her hand out of the mass. Anders growled in pain as Pam continued to work.

The flashing intensified as her hand drew closer to the exit. Green, red, orange, and then a brief flash of yellow, the sphere shifted at an impressive and intimidating rate. It looked like a bomb about to go off, but Jake tried to keep his composure and stay calm. The process that Pam was performing was new to all of them, but Jake knew that Pam wouldn't undertake something without some level of confidence. His biggest concern was drawing Ingrid's attention. They'd escaped her gaze for a brief period, but surely something like this would register in her monitors. Given the way the world was reacting to this, he suspected it wouldn't be long before his theory was put to the test.

The process continued on for another few agonizing minutes. Anders cried out as things seemed to come to a head. The ball in Pam's hand swelled once again, and Pam squeezed it as hard as she could. Jake watched as it shattered, and the strands of numbers and lights hovered in the air. Anders' shouts turned to silence as the code hovered in the air. They shot out and slammed into his suspended body. He was sent flying backwards and bounced on his back. The flickering in the sky slowly started to subside as Pam stood up straight and relaxed.

"Ugh, well, that hurt more than I was expecting," Anders groaned as he sat up.

"How do you feel?" Jake asked, walking over to help him up.

"Like I just went ten rounds with a fucking chromed out psycho," Anders replied, accepting Jake's hand, "The bigger question is whether it worked or not."

Jake looked over at Pam as she released a shaky breath, "Your ties to Ingrid and her system should be officially severed. She won't be able to manipulate you, but you're far from immortal. You can still be killed, but your choices and actions are officially your own."

"Seriously?" Anders asked, visibly relaxing as he stood up and rolled his neck, "Alright, that's at least some good news. Hurt like a mother fucker, but as long as it worked that's what matters. So, next stop is-"

The air shimmered again, and a booming sound echoed throughout the city. Jake looked up to see a strange red hole opening up in the sky. "Shit, she's here!" he shouted, recognizing the glowing outline of the monster that had nearly finished them only a short time ago, "We need to move, now!"

"Fucking great," Anders growled, looking around, "Hold her off, I'll grab us some wheels!"

"Hurry," Pam said, grabbing the submachine gun off of her back, "We can't kill her, but we can draw fire and stun her, if we're lucky. We just need to stay alive."

"Be back as quickly as I can," Anders called as he raced out of the alleyway and into the streets.

The hulking form of Ingrid's character avatar dropped down out of the sky. She landed on one knee, and slowly stood up, "Targets acquired, naughty troublemakers…hiding and resisting is futile. You can't win."

"I'll take that bet," Pam growled, raising her gun and opening fire.

The bullets spewed out of her automatic, but they bounced off of Ingrid’s body. Jake and Ashley broke off to try to flank her. Ingrid's character kept her eyes on Pam as she continued to empty her clip into her titanic chest. However, her eyes traced Jake and Ashley as they tried to catch her off guard. She didn't make a move to attack any of them until Ashley and Jake launched their attack. Ashley drew her sword, and Jake had pulled his bat out. Ashley jumped up and swung down in a vicious arc, and Jake went low to try to knock her legs out from under her.

Ingrid's body moved at unbelievable speed as she turned and caught Ashley by the throat before she could connect. She spun around, and knocked Jake away with a powerful kick. Clutching at Ashley's throat, she hurled the red headed woman at Pam to force her to stop firing. Pam's clip was already spent by the time Ashley was launched. Pam ducked and spun out of the way just as Ashley flew past where she'd been standing. Before she could reload, Ingrid was in front of her with one of those nightmarish blades jutting out of her arms. She swung down, but Pam held up her gun to block it as best she could. Unfortunately, the gun shattered the second her blade made contact, and Pam was left utterly defenseless.

Jake rolled and got to his feet just as Pam's weapon was destroyed. They didn't have time for this, but he knew he had to do something before they were completely erased. As Pam was forced on the defensive, dodging and dancing to avoid a fatal slice, Jake clutched at his bat and charged forward. He connected a ferocious swing with Ingrid's back, but it seemed to only anger the hulking woman. However, it was just enough to get her to shift her focus to him. That was at least something. They'd have to keep her moving and guessing if they were going to stand a chance at surviving. Their only hope was either Anders returning, or Pam pulling off another miracle with her code manipulation.

Ingrid spun around and swung her blade in a horizontal line, but Jake managed to duck under it. She raised her boot in an attempt to crush his skull, but again Jake was able to avoid it. He swung as hard as he could at her knee as her boot smashed through the pavement and created a small hole in the ground. It connected, and he managed to cause her weight to shift slightly, but he knew he hadn't done much aside from place himself in harm's way. He was about to try to block, or roll away, when Ashley suddenly landed on her back and drove her blade into the base of her neck. Ingrid jerked and tried to throw Ashley off of her, but Ashley kicked off after twisting the blade to put more distance between the two of them.

"Annoying little pests!" Ingrid growled, turning back to face Ashley, "Stand still and accept your fates! I am inevitable, and your deaths are assured."

"Jake, grab the sword!" Ashley ordered, watching Ingrid carefully as she approached.

"Pam, if there was ever a time for a miracle, this would be it!" Jake shouted as he grabbed the pistol that he'd been given and tried to figure out the best way to attack the monster before them.

"It's hopeless," Ingrid snapped, "One glitch doesn't prove anything! Your lives are forfeit, and Beth will forever belong to me!"

"She is not yours, she is mine!" Pam growled, feeling a surge of anger course through her.

"I'm going to enjoy watching you fade away, and I'll enjoy what Murray does to you even more," Ingrid sneered as she turned her full attention to Pam.

Jake shook his head and decided to seize his opening to retrieve Ashley's blade. He raced forward, jumped into the air, and grabbed into the hilt of the sword. He put both of his feet against her expansive back, and pushed as hard as he could to dislodge the blade. He backflipped off of her and landed on his feet in time to see Pam's hands glowing once again. Ingrid lurched forward from the sudden force from Jake's dismount, and Pam released a purple stream of something that looked like a wave from her hands. It swelled and rushed at Ingrid, and it knocked her to the ground. Pam stomped on the ground, and twisted her wrist as she raised one hand. The ground beneath Ingrid sunk in around her, and the purplish torrent flew up and crashed back down onto her, effectively burying her in the muck.

Pam grunted as she lost control of whatever she was doing, but she managed to keep herself standing. Jake would need to talk to her about this, if they survived this encounter. It wasn't long before Ingrid began clawing her way out of the hole. He wasn't surprised to see that it hadn't killed her. This tyrant may as well have had cheat codes enabled around her making her invulnerable. They were running out of time and resources. This might have been their last stand. He and Ashley moved to stand beside Pam as Ingrid crawled back to her feet.

"I don't know what you're doing, but it ends now!" Ingrid snapped, but a car horn blaring cut off anything else she was saying.

A large truck came speeding through the alleyway with its horn blaring and lights blinding. The front of the truck crashed into Ingrid, and it knocked hee to the ground. Anders stuck his head out the driver side window, "Get in the fucking truck! Let's move, move, move, dammit!"

Jake, Ashley, and Pam didn't waste a second as they jumped into the bed. They sped off, and were nearly thrown into the bed as Anders peeled out. Ingrid could be heard screaming in frustration as they rolled away into the night. Jake grabbed onto the side of the truck and looked over at Pam. She was gritting her teeth, but she was holding her hand up and it was glowing. He watched as a small amber colored orb shot out, and it surrounded their truck. Once she was done, she fell over and laid down. He scooted closer to check on her.

"Pam, are you okay?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," she replied, "Need to rest a bit before our next stop. We're going to need guns, ammo, and a solid plan for what comes next. Get your head in the game, Jake, because this next part is for all the marbles. I need you to steal a few things with Anders and Ashley."

He didn't like it, but he knew there wasn't another option. Ingrid was going to be chasing them now, and their time was quickly running out. "Alright, we can plan once we get stopped," he nodded, looking up at the city sky as the sun began to rise.